June 29, 2015

Dear Bride-to-Be: Brides and the language of flowers
have a romantic and mystical heritage. Through the ages, sentimental folks
assigned meanings to flowers and herbs according to their innate nature—and a
language was created.

Bridal
folklore throughout history, inspired by goddess mythology, tells of maidens
entwining creamy white, aromatic orange blossoms into a bridal wreath for their
hair, to ensure fertility; or
carrying a bunch of sweet smelling white lilacs, representing innocence; or tucking fragrant herbs
into their bouquets, rosemary for remembrance
and dill, believed to provoke lust.
Both herbs were also eaten for their supposed powers!

So whatever
flowers you are carrying or wearing or displaying at your wedding,
consider their folklore and mystery and romance (like from Kate Greenaway’sLanguage of Flowers)—because sometimes knowing the ancient story of something, especially flowers, opens up some “fragrant” yummy-ness in the
present...perhaps even opening your heart to give and receive more tenderness!

June 16, 2015

Dear
Bride-to-Be: If you know one thing about “wedding
gown history,” I would wager that it has something to do with Queen Victoria
starting the fashion for brides to wear white. (And now, thanks to Victoria, it has been a tradition for 175 years.) But I would also wager
that most people don’t know the real reason the 20-year-old monarch broke the precedent
set by earlier royal brides (who usually wore cloths of silver or gold) and chose
the color white—she even chose a wax orange blossom crown instead of a dazzling diamond diadem!

Her choice has been regarded as representing simplicity, modesty and purity—and indeed the young queen was
sentimental and had an “uncluttered fashion preference,” according to costume
historians. However, Victoria was deeply in love, and this became her guiding inspiration for her wedding attire. So with much consideration—taking into account her duty, her position and her
subjects—nonetheless, “the queen decided to make her marriage vows to her ‘precious Angel’
as his future wife rather than as the monarch,” wrote curator Edwina Ehrman. Or as author Kay Staniland
explained: Victoria decided “her role on her wedding day was primarily that of
a bride” and opted against, not only wearing the silver and gold of royalty,
but also chose not to wear her queenly crimson velvet robe of state, feeling “it would
only emphasize her seniority, and overshadow the role of her future husband.” (And come the day of the wedding, Victoria’s adoring subjects happily received their queen’s choices!)

Whatever
you choose to wear on your wedding day, keep your relationship your first priority…and let the frills of fashion follow that. (It’s the queenly thing to do!) Of course you’re going to look beautiful…because a woman in love becomes
her own spotlight.Love. Listen. Let go.....with love from Cornelia

[This post inspired by my new book, The End of the Fairy-Tale Bride {Volume One} For Better or Worse, How Princess Diana Rescued the Great White Wedding ... available at Amazon. I think you will enjoy it!]